Shallow M5.7 earthquake hits west of Macquarie Island

An earthquake measuring M5.7 was recorded at 01:46 UTC on June 20, 2026, west of Macquarie Island. According to USGS, the hypocenter was located at a depth of 10.0 km (6.2 miles), with the epicenter at coordinates 57.1°S, 147.9°E.

This event took place in the remote Southern Ocean region, with the coordinates positioning it offshore and far from major populated areas. Macquarie Island is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, roughly midway between New Zealand and Antarctica, serving mainly as a research outpost.

Given its location in the open ocean, there is no significant critical infrastructure nearby. The closest human activity is associated with the research facilities maintained on Macquarie Island, which are usually operated on a temporary basis.

There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.

USGS issued a green alert for this event, indicating a low likelihood of casualties or damage. The maximum estimated intensity was 0, and the significance index is 500 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude, felt reports, and estimated impact.

The region around Macquarie Island is tectonically active, located near the boundary between the Australian and Pacific plates. Seismic activity here is predominantly associated with intraplate deformation and transform faults that characterize the Macquarie Ridge complex.

This information was last updated at 02:09 UTC on June 20, 2026.